Fussy Cutting

I am continuing to have lots of fun with hexagons. This week I played around with some fussy-cut fabrics and created some rather pretty hexagon flowers.

I am cutting only seven hexagons from each fabric so that every flower will be unique.

 

 Thank you for all the encouraging comments on my last post. A few people were interested in knowing more about the glue method. Sue Daley has a tutorial on her blog that explains it very well. Worth a look.

Just one more week of school for me before the term ends. Really looking forward to some sewing time. I can't remember the last time I used my sewing machine ... but it was quite a few months ago.

The Obsession Continues!

 Not much stitching happened this weekend. However much time was spent cutting ...

and gluing these little beauties!

 

 

 The Vignette Hexagon Quilt requires 139 hexagon flowers which means I have about 60 more flower sets to prepare. It has been fun looking through my stash to find suitable fabrics ... I like that this will be a very scrappy quilt using fabrics from lots of different ranges.

 

Annoyingly, yesterday I ran out of glue. Luckily, Sarah stocks the refills. She is always very prompt in sending out her orders so they will be here in a couple of days.

I've Caught the Bug!

The hexie bug that is! After admiring all the beautiful hexie flowers in blogland I just had to give it a go for myself.

I plan to use fabrics from lots of different ranges in shades of pink, green, red and white.

I have found lots of inspiration and helpful hints in here ...

and at the Vignette Hexagon Quilt blog. 

So far I've finished eight hexie flowers and have many more cut out ready to sew.

 Much as I love stitchery, it's nice to have something a little different to work on in the evenings.

 Only 131 flowers to go ... I could be doing this for quite awhile!

The Night Before Christmas

The Night Before Christmas ... block 3 ... "The Presents were Wrapped"

The presents weren't too difficult to applique (nice big pieces) ....

 BUT the poor little mouse is rather ordinary! Especially her feet, hands and ears! Any hints for getting them 'smoother' would be greatly appreciated.

 From the placement of his tail, it would appear Oliver has a similar opinion!

I am really enjoying this block of the month. There seems to be lots of fabric leftover each month .. I'm sure I will find a use for it.

Hatched and Patched Swap

Friends in Stitching recently had an Anni Downs swap. Sue made me this delightful block keeper featuring Anni's Home for Summer stitchery. We are doing a 6 inch BOM this year and this will be perfect to keep them in.

 It has been thoroughly 'cat-scanned' by Oliver!

 Love this photo ... the 'paw print' of approval! Thank you, Sue. I love the design and colours you chose for my gift.

For this swap I made for Sarah. Unknowingly, I had stitched the same design for her gift!

Sarah and I both love Figtree fabrics so I used a mixture of Whimsy and Breakfast at Tiffany's to put this cushion together for her.

It's been a long time since I did any buttonholes but after a couple of practises on some scrap fabric I was confident to go ahead. 

 

After I'd finished I realised I'd done 5 buttonholes ... the pattern only called for 4! Talk about over-enthusiastic!

Today, I've been typing choir scores on the computer in readiness for the Burnie Eisteddfod in a few weeks time. During my absence from blogland my computer 'died' and had to have a major overall. Thankfully, today the printer finally decided it was ready to be re-installed ... just got a major iTunes issue to fix and everything will be back to normal.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Birthday Gifts

Hello. Do you remember me? I have lots to share from the last couple of months.

Now Easter is over I plan to start blogging again on a regular basis. Wish me luck!

I belong to a sewing group called Material Girls. When it was my birthday (in February) each 

of the girls made me a special 'pink' gift.

This pretty needlecase was made by Annie ... love the stitchery.

Christine made this lovely pouch with pretty suffolk puffs on the front.

Another lovely pouch from Lyndy ... I think the pattern was in a Handmade magazine.

Rosemary made me this cute mug holder ...

with lovely pink butterflies.

 

And Vicki made me this wonderful apron ... 

 

with gorgeous machine embroidery

 

... isn't she clever?

Oliver Henry 'helped' take these photos.

This one looks like he's doing a squirrel impersonation!

Bye 'til next time.

Back ... just!

Well, after 3 very uncomfortable weeks I'm back. Since my last post I've spent a lot of time lying face down on the floor ... not the greatest position for stitching. (or much else for that matter!) ... but the only way to let my back heal itself. Yesterday, my physio said I'm allowed to sit again for short periods (hurray!) ... until them it was all stand up or lie down. Anyway here is the little bit of stitching I managed to do ... Block One of The Night Before Christmas by Bunny Hill Designs.

 I did the pieced section a while ago so it's really only the applique/stitchery 

part that I can claim for February.

All the section below was done while standing up! Hopefully my needleturn will improve. 

The big pieces are okay but some of the smaller ones are rather 'yuck'.
 

Looking forward to starting block 2.

Thank You, Peg

Today is my birthday. Although the idea of being another year older is not particularly pleasant (!), I am feeling very lucky to have received a beautiful gift from my Friend in Stitching, the wonderful Peg.

 

This year we have to make a gift for our FIS birthday partner that starts with the first letter of the town in which we live. Peg made me a lovely covered notebook and a gorgeous needlecase all in beautiful Simplicity fabrics. (Still one of my all-time favourite fabric ranges.)

 The notebook came with a gorgeous pen in my favourite colour ...PINK. And doesn't it match the stitchery beautifully.

And just look inside the needlecase ... am I spoilt or what. Click on the picture for a closer look at the very cute pins.

 

 Thank you so much Peg. It is all adorable. I 'met' Peg soon after I started blogging and her blog is one I always check for new posts. She would have to be one of the most productive quilters I know ... and also one of the most generous. Hopefully one day we will meet in 'real life'.

 

This afternoon I have band practice. Not sure how I'll go as last week I ruptured a disc in my lower back! Rather painful and I haven't been able to do much stitching.